What Happens Now?
by ConfusedColumbia26220
Summary: Spoilers for 3x20. Takes place after Regina and Zelena's scene but before Rumple and Zelena's scene. Intended oneshot but potential to continue. Ships present are Swan Queen and Outlaw Queen with a mention of Captain Swan, but ultimately this is a Regina/Henry family fic.


It was over. Zelena was defeated and safely locked away. No lives were lost, everything was back in its proper place.

Or, almost everything.

"So that's it?" Emma asked, arms folded across her chest as she looked through the window of the Sheriff's station at the newly occupied cell. "She can't slip through the cracks and get out?"

Regina nodded. "She's without her power, and as I've given her quite the incentive not to, I doubt she'll try breaking free in more…mortal matters."

Emma spared the defeated witch another long glance before diverting her eyes for what she hoped to be the last time. "Good," she responded with a firm nod. Without so much as a parting word, she began striding to the exit.

"Emma, wait," Regina caught her arm in the hallway that they tended to find themselves in quite often since the blonde was made Sheriff in the first pace. "You're not – still – planning on going back to New York, are you?"

That seized Emma's attention, her eyes widening as she faced her. "You know about that?"

At that, Regina couldn't help but chuckle. "Well I _am _Storybrooke's Mayor. Zelena aside, I know everything."

"But I never even –"

"Eyes and ears everywhere." Regina smirked before allowing it to fade into a more serious expression. "So…you are?"

"That was always my plan," Emma answered nonchalantly.

"Things are different now," Regina pointed out.

"Yeah, no more magic for me. No magic equals no Savior. No Savior…I can be free."

Regina shook her head. It wasn't happening at all like she imagined or had been prepared for, but she had to make Emma see. Her hands pushed the blonde's shoulders until she was against the wall, in one swift motion, and then she was kissing her with everything she had.

Emma was surprised, and then pulled into the heat of the moment for a second, but ultimately shoved the brunette away from her. "Regina, what…the _hell?!" _She fought to catch her breath and wiped away any traces of lipstick left behind. "The other day you were all over Robin H-!"

"I like him," Regina admitted. "But I don't…love…him."

"Yeah," Emma replied as if she'd just informed her two plus two equals four. "You're without your heart."

"That's not why."

Emma scoffed in disbelief. "Well, either way…according to Tinkerbell you do."

At that Regina had a scoff of her own. "Yes, because fairies know everything about love. They're nuns in this world, nuns! Were you not just at the same showdown I was? _I _choose my own destiny. Not fairy dust, _me_."

"So, what, you're choosing me?" Emma asked flippantly, as if pigs flying in the underwater depths of Atlantis stood a better chance than the response being yes.

Regina looked at her pointedly.

Emma rose her eyebrows. "Okay, I don't know how much liquid courage you had stashed up for today," she began dismissively. "But you hate me. Ever since the moment I returned Henry to your doorstep."

"And ever since you two had to leave I wanted you back!" Regina snapped, her voice thick with emotion. She stepped up to her, invading her space as she so often did. In a softer tone she went on, "Are you honestly telling me, after all this time and everything that's happened, there's no difference from when you first arrived in Storybrooke?" She searched her eyes intensely for the answer. She was gutted when she found it. Walls up, shields in place, guards aiming, she closed herself off in the blink of an eye. "Very well," her tone shifted to that associated with the Evil Queen and at times the Mayor. She crossed her arms, gaze turned to glare. "Go back to New York if you wish, _Miss Swan_. But you'll be alone. No more parents, no more brother, no more Hook, and…oh yes. No more Henry. He is _my _son and I will not lose him again!" That said, she turned on her heel and stalked away.

"Regina…"

But Regina was on mission mode and had tuned her out. That couldn't stop the lonely tear that rolled down her cheek as she approached her car, however.

Though maintaining perfect external composure when she arrived at her manor, Robin knew better. "Regina, are you alright?" his tone was concerned as he rested a hand on her lower back.

That simple touch made her walls collapse, and she broke.

"Hey…" Robin drew her into his arms. "She's powerless and locked up now, right?"

Regina shook her head, half-burying it in his shoulder. "It's not that," she admitted thickly.

"Then what is it?" He stroked gentle fingers through her hair.

"Now that Zelena's no longer a threat…" Regina took in a shuddering breath. "Emma's leaving Storybrooke."

Something clicked. "So Henry…?"

"I don't know." Regina sighed and straightened, backing into her own personal space. She shook her head. "I don't know," she repeated in a whisper. She wiped her eyes, knowing she needed to calm down before either of the boys saw her.

Robin tucked loose strands of hair behind her ears before placing the softest of kisses on her lips.

Returning it helped Regina calm down. When it broke, she checked her reflection in a mirror. After deeming it appropriate, she called, "Henry!"

The pre-teen took the stairs two at a time at such a speed Regina nearly had a heart attack each time his balance was less than perfect. "Yeah, Mom?"

Regina couldn't stop herself from hugging him close.

"Uh, okay, Mom…you're squishing me."

Regina withdrew. "Sorry." She busied herself with flattening his hair.

"Mom, I'm not five," Henry laughed.

Regina smiled sadly. "I know, sweetie. Which is why you're getting a choice."

"A choice?" Henry asked, confused. "A choice in what?"

"Well now that you have all your memories back from Storybrooke in addition to your New York memories, do you have a preference?"

Henry's expression remained puzzled, but he still thought about the answer. "I like them both. But outside of one year, only one was real."

"So between them, you'd rather live in Storybrooke?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah."

"Even if that meant choosing between me and Emma?"

Henry looked conflicted at first, and then the implication of that hit him. "She's still going back to New York?"

Regina nodded, tearing up once more. "I tried convincing her not to, but you know her, always doing the opposite of what she's told."

They shared a laugh that didn't hold a lot of happiness.

Henry hugged Regina this time. "If I can't have both, I choose you. Because it's not just you, it's my grandparents and Robin and Roland too. And my new uncle. In New York it will just be her, and she'll never be home."

Regina let the tears fall, though this time they were from relief. She pressed a lingering kiss to the top of his head, holding him close and tight. He chose her. After years of telling her he hated her, he finally chose her. Over Emma of all people. Though she wanted Emma, she wanted Henry more, and given the option between Emma liking her with Henry disliking her and Henry liking her with Emma disliking her, she would choose the second option a million times over. "I love you, Henry."

"I love you, too."


End file.
